Vol. 45 No. 40
Careful Selection Breeds
Results For Coldsprings
MICHELLE RANCK
Lancaster Farming Staff
Editor’s Note: Recently
Marlin Hoff of Coldsprings
Farm was selected to
receive the National Dairy
Shrine’s Distinguished
Dairy Cattle Breeder Award
for 2000. The award is
given annually to a breeder
who has proven, through
successful genetic and
business management,
that he or she is forward
thinking and working to im
prove cattle breeds. Hoff
will be honored at the Na
tional Dairy Shrine’s 51st
Anniversary Awards Ban
quet Jn October in conjunc
tion with World Dairy Expo
in Madison, Wisconsin.
NEW WINDSOR, Md. “For
forever I’ve been looking for the
complete cow,” said Marlin
Empire Farm Days ’ Program Expands, Hosts Youth Event
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
SENECA FALLS, N.Y.
More than 100 acres of agricul
tural displays will fill the site of
this year’s Empire Farm Days,
scheduled Aug. 8-10 here at the
Rodman Lott and Son Farm.
Since 1988, the farm has been
the site of New York’s largest
agricultural showcase event,
billed by some as the Northeast’s
largest farm show.
According to show manager
Melanie Wickham, the exhibit
area has been expanded on the
east side of the show.
Wickham, who spoke to Lan
caster Farming Wednesday,
noted the demonstrations used
The second year for the 4-H goat show at the Lebanon
Area Fair showcased young talent and quality animals for
the North Mountain Market Goat Club. Travis Dresch, 10,
right, took home grand champion honors with “Cyrus” and
Katie Eckert, 10, won reserve champion placing with
“Andy.” Dr. Robert Herr of “Nix Besser” farm judged the
event and donated hats to the two young exhibitors. Full
report on page A 32.
Four Sections
Hoff, echoing the sentiment of
every dairy farmer. This quest
for the complete cow has led
Hoff to build a herd of quality
genetics and has garnered the
farm national recognition.
As a recent recipient of the
Dairy Cattle Breeder Award,
Hoff is doing his part to improve
the Holstein breed.
“If cows have changed in the
last 50 years, they’ve lost sub
stance and gotten smaller. I
don’t think that needs to con
tinue,” he said. Hoff continues
to look for “the cow that pro
duces well and lasts a long
time.”
Bulls, of course, play an im
portant role in the farm’s pro
gram. Hoff uses top AI bulls.
“Probably the best rule of thumb
is bulls with high TPI, which in
(Turn to Pago A4O)
to be located farther-north and
east of the' exhibits, but are now
closer.
“The ability to have the field
demonstrations close to the ex
hibit area is a plus for the
show,” she said. “We were able
to expand without a major dis
ruption to the demonstration
acreage.”
For the first time, Empire
Farm Days serves as host to the
New York State FFA and New
York 4-H Tractor Operators
Contest. About 100 young stu
dents from across the state will
compete Thursday, Aug. 10, in
the contest at the southeast
corner of the exhibit area.
Empire Farm Days, with its
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 5, 2000
Marlin Hoff, of Coldsprings Farms in New Windsor, Maryland, received the Distin
guished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award for 2000. His experience on a judging team gave
him an eye for good cattle ... and began his quest to find or breed the perfect cow.
Photo by Mlchollo Ranch
67th annual show, features more
than 600 exhibitors and high
lights new ag technology, im
proved and enlarged timber,
construction, and livestock dis
plays, and some of the largest ag
machinery and equipment dis
plays east of Louisville, Ky.
The show, on more than 300
acres, also features dairy profit
seminars, an antique tractor dis
play, and field demonstrations.
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) This week at the Leba
non Area Fair Agriculture Sec
retary Samuel E. Hayes Jr.
presented a symbolic check to
Lebanon farmers. This presenta
tion comes on the heels of the
recent announcement that final
payments under the Crop Loss
Program have been made, bring
ing the 1999 drought disaster
relief program to a close.
“By responding to the over
whelming need created by last
year’s drought, the Common-
Test Your Ability To
Predict Beef Quality
Can you accurately
determine feeder cattfe
value by eyeing up a steer?
Guess ribeye area? Approx
imate Yield and Quality
grades? This is your chance
to test your skills. Recently
Lancaster County cattle
feeders had the opportu
nity to try the “Fantasy Beef
Quality Challenge,” a con
test which highlighted the
difficulty of predicting
cattle value by visual ap
praisal only. Turn to page
A 36 to find a full report plus
pictures and a score card to
participate in the contest.
The field equipment schedule
includes com/hay chopping 10 f
a.m. daily, hay mowing 11 a.m.
daily, tillage 1 p.m. daily, and
hay (raking, baling, and han
dling) at 2 p.m. every day.
About 75,000 farmers and
agribusiness representatives at
tended last year’s event. This
year Wickham noted that it is
difficult to predict how many
will attend, but the organizers
Disaster Relief Final Payments
wealth clearly led the way over
any other Mid-Atlantic or
Northeastern state,’’ Hayes said.
“I am very proud of our produc
ers for managing through a very
difficult crop year.”
Hayes commended Gov.
Ridge and Pennsylvania
lawmakers for the quick re
sponse with the $70.6 million as
sistance package, which made a
real difference in helping farm
families across the Common
wealth.
Kyle Fleener, right, won supreme champion hog Monday
at the Lebanon Fair. Henry Holloway, left, judged the
show. See story page A2B.
$32.00 Per Year
expect a good crowd, with num
bers reaching from 75,000-
100,000, she told Lancaster
Farming.
Following are some show
highlights:
• Demonstration Tent. This
area at the south end of the
demo field will be used again
this year as a headquarters for
“With the initial $5 million,
Hay Assistance Program in
place to lead the way, followed
soon thereafter by the $6O mil
lion Crop Loss Program, and
continuing with the $5.6 million
for Crop Insurance, Pennsylva
nia farmers had a way to help
manage one of the toughest
droughts in recent history,”
Hayes said.
To date, the area consisting of
Lebanon, Lancaster, Berks.
(Turn to Pago A 44)
600 Per Copy
(Turn to Pago A 42)